Financial Aid: How To Apply

CIM's application process is online and does NOT involve a separate CIM financial aid application - in submitting the online application for admission to CIM via the Unified Application, you have done all you need to begin the financial aid process. You should plan to adhere to all due dates included in the Applicant Financial Aid Timeline. In addition to the documents required for admission, you will be asked to complete the following for financial aid:

  • FAFSA - U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required for all applicants applying for any financial aid consideration, even those seeking only scholarship or merit aid. At CIM, for all Institutional CIM Scholarship consideration, we take into account both merit and financial need. For returning students, the FAFSA is not required for subsequent years if the student only wishes to renew CIM Scholarship and no federal aid is desired (work study, grants, and/or loans).

    For applicants seeking admission for the Fall 2012 semester, the 2012-13 FAFSA is due 2/15/12, and cannot be submitted prior to 1/1/12.

    The FAFSA is submitted online at www.fafsa.gov with CIM school code 003031. Note, there are several scam websites with similar names that will charge you a fee to complete your FAFSA - NEVER PAY TO HAVE YOUR FAFSA FILED! Only use the federal site listed above.

    After it has been processed, the student will receive FAFSA results via the Student Aid Report (SAR). It is very important to promptly review the SAR, especially the comments section, for accuracy.

  • CSS Profile - All international students (both undergraduate and graduate) as well as all undergraduate U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents seeking any CIM Institutional aid must also complete the CSS PROFILE online at https://profileonline.collegeboard.com. Graduate students who are U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents are not required to submit the PROFILE (FAFSA is still required if seeking any aid).

    CIM's PROFILE code is 1124. For more details about the Profile and the filing fee ($25 for first report, $16 for each subsequent one), please see the CSS Financial Aid PROFILE Student Guide. International students please note that you will submit all financial data in your home currency and the PROFILE will do the conversion to U.S. dollars.

    The 12-13 CSS PROFILE is due by 2/15/12, however we do request you not submit it prior to 1/1/12, so you will have your year-end 2011 income data and the report will be more accurate.

    Once the Profile is submitted, you cannot make corrections online. If you discover an error, please print a copy of your receipt copy and hand write any corrections in the appropriate places and fax that copy to the CIM Financial Aid Office at 216-707-4519.

For both the FAFSA and/or the CSS PROFILE, you do NOT need to have your 2011 tax return completed; you may estimate the AGI and tax paid figures to meet the 2/15/12 deadline. All schools you select on the FAFSA and PROFILE will be sent your processed results electronically. You are required to update your FASFA when the tax return has been finalized and any aid offered prior to that FAFSA correction is subject to change.

Depending on the individual student, there may be additional items needed to complete your aid file (transfer clearance, I-20 documentation, etc.). All applicants will receive a student-specific e-mail from the CIM Financial Aid Office in late December or early January detailing what you will need to submit, but nothing is due prior to 2/15/12 for the financial aid aspect of your CIM application.

Both Admission and Financial aid information should be provided to you by April 1. You will have until May 1 (April 15 for graduate students) to make your decision to attend CIM or elsewhere. Your requirements to confirm your intent to enroll will be detailed for you at that time. CIM prepares aid offers only for admitted students with complete applications.

Helpful Downloads

Financial Aid Office

Kristine Gripp

Director of Financial Aid

p. 216.795.3192

f. 216.707.4519

e. financial.aid@cim.edu

Office hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon & 1:00 pm to 5:00 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.

NetPartner is the online Financial Aid system used at CIM. This site will be your main reference point once you are have formally applied to CIM and/or are a currently enrolled student: http://netpartner.cim.edu.

The CIM School Code for the FAFSA is 003031.

Important Forms

FAFSA - required each year to apply for or to renew aid for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens. For 2010-11 applicants, the due date is February 15, 2010. The returning student due date for the 2010-11 FAFSA is March 1, 2010.

International Student Declaration Form - required of all international students applying for admission.

Transfer Clearance Form - required of any applicant who will NOT have completed their current degree at their prior school before enrolling at CIM. Also required if you have previously deposited and signed an Intent to Enroll Form with another school (this may happen if you are wait-listed at CIM, and accepted another school's offer in the meantime).

See all forms on the Financial Aid Forms & Links page.

Useful Links

NetPartner: CIM's online financial aid system. Students must be an active applicant for admission to CIM or be a current CIM student to have a NetPartner account.

CIM Catalog: for more details pertaining to CIM's rules, regulations and policies for subjects related to Financial Aid and other areas. You can see our policies on Academic and Artistic Progress requirements and probation, Withdrawals, Leave of Absence, etc.

NSLDS: the National Student Loan Data System site allows you to view your complete federal loan and Pell grant history

Ohio Grant Aid: site for students and parents about Ohio student aid.

5-Year Calendar: CIM / Case five-year calendar from the Case Western Reserve University Registrar's Office.

See many more financial aid resources on the Financial Aid Forms & Links page.